FAQ for Matchpeg Workflow

Questions

1. What software do I need to use Matchpeg Workflow?
2. Do I need to make changes to my browser or firewall settings?
3. How many workflows can I create?
4. Who has access to each item on the system?
5. Can you design a workflow for me?
6. What management reporting is available from Matchpeg Workflow?
7. Can I include people outside my organisation in a workflow?
8. What sort of form design options does Matchpeg Workflow have?
9. Can I download data from Matchpeg Workflow?
10. Can I store files as attachments to workflow items?
11. Do my free-trial workflows get saved?
12. How long is my data stored for?
13. Do I need to pay separately or subscribe separately for Matchpeg Meetings, Matchpeg Brainstorming, and Matchpeg Workflow?
14. Can I upgrade/downgrade my subscription?
15. Do you share my data with other people?

Answers

1. What software do I need to use Matchpeg Workflow?

All Matchpeg's products are entirely browser-based. The only software you need is your web browser. Nothing gets installed on your computer. We recommend Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, or Camino.

2. Do I need to make changes to my browser or firewall settings?

Matchpeg's products will normally work without you needing to make any changes to your browser settings. The software requires Javascript to be turned on, and needs to be able to use session cookies.

Matchpeg's products should work seamlessly through corporate and personal firewalls. If you are unable to access Matchpeg, but you can get to other websites, please check that your IT department is not operating a "whitelist" of permitted sites.

3. How many workflows can I create?

As many as you like! You can define an unlimited number of different business processes such as purchase requests, holiday requests, bug reports, project initiation, task delegation etc. Matchpeg charges for each workflow item - i.e. each purchase or holiday request - not for each workflow definition.

4. Who has access to each item on the system?

Each workflow item such as a holiday request can be viewed by the person who it's currently assigned to, plus everyone who the item has been assigned to in the past. Therefore, the creator of a workflow item can always see the latest movements on it.

There are two special exceptions to the rule above. Firstly, you can tick a box which gives everyone in your firm the ability to view a particular workflow item. Secondly, a user can be given special permission to view all workflow items on the system (i.e. regardless of whether they have ever been the owner of the items).

Only the current owner of an item is allowed to change it in any way.

5. Can you design a workflow for me?

Matchpeg can help, but only up to a point. The difficulty isn't using the Matchpeg Workflow software; it's in understanding your particular business processes and how to improve them through technology. That's a "management consultancy" job rather than anything directly to do with our software. Matchpeg can only provided limited assistance in this area without (a) needing in-depth information on how your business works, and (b) being obliged to charge for consultancy time.

6. What management reporting is available from Matchpeg Workflow?

Matchpeg Workflow has two main types of analysis built into it. Firstly, you can take any "basket" of workflow items and analyse them according to who they are assigned to, who they were originally created by, which stage they are at etc. Secondly, Matchpeg Workflow can report on how long any basket of items has spent with each person and at each stage. The latter is particularly useful for identifying bottlenecks in your business, such as processes which are delayed by a particular person being overloaded.

In addition, Matchpeg Workflow lets you search for workflow items matching any set of criteria (e.g. all holiday requests created last year by Bob), and then export the results in CSV form for bespoke analysis in software such as Microsoft Excel.

7. Can I include people outside my organisation in a workflow?

Not yet. Unlike Matchpeg Meetings, Matchpeg Workflow does not currently have a "guest" facility which allows people who aren't on your user list to participate in the system. We are currently evaluating this functionality - please let us know if you would find it useful.

8. What sort of form design options does Matchpeg Workflow have?

None. Workflow systems typically fail because users waste all their time on designing forms and making them look pretty. Matchpeg Workflow concentrates on getting things done, and it does this by taking away from users the ability to waste time on form design. Instead, it makes users concentrate on the actual business processes: the information which is required, and the steps which the information gets passed through.

9. Can I download data from Matchpeg Workflow?

Yes. Firstly, each individual workflow item can be stored in Adobe Acrobat format (PDF) as well as being viewed as a web page. Secondly, you can get lists of all your workflow items as an RSS feed (either for viewing in newsreader application, or for machine-readable purposes). Thirdly, you can search for any combination of records in the system and download the results as a CSV file.

10. Can I store files as attachments to workflow items?

Yes. You can attach any number of files to each workflow item.

However, you can also insert hyperlinks to pages on the internet, or to files on your local network. The latter is faster and can often be easier than uploading a file onto our servers when all your colleagues already have access to it via a shared folder on your own network.

11. Do my free-trial workflows get saved?

Of course! All data for all workflows that are recorded against your firm's account get stored automatically irrespective of whether they are created during the trial period or as a Pay As You Go user or as a Subscriber. You don't lose any data when your free trial ends and you decide to become a Matchpeg customer.

12. How long is my data stored for?

At the moment, all data is retained indefinitely until you ask for a meeting to be deleted. However, Matchpeg's terms and conditions allow us to remove records created by pay-as-you-go customers 30 days after they are created. This is not currently enforced, but may be in future.

13. Do I need to pay separately or subscribe separately for Matchpeg Meetings, Matchpeg Brainstorming, and Matchpeg Workflow?

No. All our pay-as-you-go packs and subscriptions allow you to use any of Matchpeg's products. Your payment is converted into units which can then be used on whichever product or products you want.

14. Can I upgrade/downgrade my subscription?

Yes, you can upgrade or downgrade at any time without penalty. The only difference between the subscriptions is the cost associated with using each product. Therefore if you downgrade you may find that the cost of using each product increases slightly, whereas when you upgrade the costs reduce.

15. Do you share my data with other people?

Absolutely not. We do not give third parties access to your personal details or any of the data you create.